1) Field of the Invention
The field of this invention relates to electric motors that are designed to be used in conjunction with a bicycle wheel of a bicycle, tricycle or any other similar wheeled vehicle, and more particularly to a compact, small in size, powerful electric motor which has an internal controller which is mounted at the hub of the wheel which is being driven.
2) Description of the Prior Art
Although the hub motor of the present invention has been found to have particular utility in conjunction with electrically operated bicycles, the motor is also deemed to have utility of other applications such as operating of a scooter, moped, tricycle, wheelchair and other types of manually operated wheeled vehicles as well as within other environments that are unknown to the inventor at this particular time. This invention will be discussed primarily in conjunction with bicycles for description purposes only.
Electric motors have been used in the past to operate bicycles electrically. The electric motors of the prior art have been rather large in size and are of relatively heavy weight. It is desirable to have the electric motor to be as small as possible and also to have the motor be as light in weight as possible to thereby keep the overall weight of the bicycle as low as possible. Also, electric bicycles of the prior art have exposed internal components. Bicycles are frequently ridden through adverse weather conditions which can result in water and foreign material, such as mud, contaminating the internal components of the electric motor.
Electric motors require the use of an electronic controller which controls the different speeds that the motor is being operated. In the past, it has been common to use a controller that is mounted separate from the motor. This requires an additional structure and requires separate mounting in conjunction with a bicycle being preferable to eliminate the use of this separate structure.